The Spanish stone fruit season has been going on for a while now. According to Willem van Rooij of the commercial department of Hispalco the prices started higher than generally though, which means many customers adopted a waiting position, causing the prices to decline. "On the other hand the wholesalers are looking forward to new summer fruit, but the prices can't get too crazy."
According to Willem, Spain has less peaches on the market this year, even less paraguayos, the supply of nectarines is in line with previous years, but there is a wide supply of apricots available. "In my view some growers in Murcia are offering apricots too soon. I prefer to wait until the brix and colour is optimal. My motto is: I only sell fruit that is good, or I won't sell it. In other producing regions, such as Sevilla, the apricots are ripe earlier."
Willem is satisfied with the cherry supply on the other hand. "We have very good Ruby cherries here, hard cherries with a brix of 15. This is a very different segment to the Burlat cherries that are offered here and there, but there is a price attached to them!"